Opinion
A MIX OF IDEAS
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Editorial
Israel's Gaza Aid
I
srael will investigate the deadly
response of its naval commandos
to the premeditated armed resis-
tance aboard the Turkish-backed Mavi
Marmara, part of an illegal six-ves-
sel flotilla ostensibly seeking to bring
humanitarian supplies to Gaza, but clearly
intending to bust the Jewish state's mari-
time blockade on the Hamas-controlled
Palestinian territory.
What's equally dear is Israel's unswerving
commitment to keeping land passageways
open for the legitimate delivery of humani-
tarian supplies to the people of Gaza —
who suffer primarily because Hamas doesn't
want them to get too comfortable and lose
their hatred for Zionism or the West.
Days before the flotilla sailed toward
Gaza on May 31, Israel publicly offered to
inspect and then transfer the aid that was
aboard. It appealed to the convoys to dock
at the Israeli port of Ashdod so the sup-
plies could be delivered over land through
designated crossings after being checked
for dangerous materials, induding con-
crete for bunkers. The flotilla rejected the
offer. When Israel intercepted the boats to
escort them to Ashdod, all but one acqui-
esced. Violence broke out aboard the Mavi
Marmara; Israeli forces were beaten with
lead pipes, knives and pistols furnished by
the IHH, a Turkish group with proven ties
to Hamas and Al Qaida. Israeli forces shot
and killed nine attacking resisters; several
Israeli fighters were hurt.
The mayhem will be subject to Israel's
own scrutiny and the court of world opin-
ion. Israel no doubt will find flaws in its
planning and coordination; still, the flo-
tilla interception was necessary to prevent
the sneaking of weaponry into Gaza.
But make no mistake: Israel isn't
responsible for any imagined crisis in
Gaza. The Consulate General of Israel
assures that Israel and international orga-
nizations, including the United Nations,
move thousands of tons of foods, goods
and equipment into Gaza every day. In a
typical week, 15,000 tons of supplies enter
Gaza including truckloads of meat, poul-
try, fish, dairy products, fish, vegetables,
milk powder, baby food, wheat and other
essential foods.
Moreover, Israel has not allowed fuel
and electricity needs in Gaza to lapse.
Hundreds of Gazans get medical treat-
ment in Israel — their government's
archenemy.
Israel continually reinforces its long-
term aid to Gaza civilians while limiting
Hamas' bid to import missiles to launch
into southern Israel. Since Israel withdrew
from Gaza in 2005, 10,000 rockets and
mortars have been fired into Israel. Israel
Dry Bones ANTI
IEW91
INCITEMENT
AT THE END OF
WORLD WAR 2
THE CYNICS SAID
THAT IN 100
YEARS
imposed a naval blockade
to curb the flow of such
firepower.
The numbers talk
— loudly.
In the past eight
months, according to the
Israel Project, an indepen-
dent organization dedi-
cated to accurate Middle
East reporting, Israel has
delivered 1 million tons of
humanitarian supplies to
Gaza, equal to nearly one
ton of aid for every man,
woman and child in Gaza.
In the first quarter of
this year, Israel delivered
94,500 tons of supplies to
Gaza: 40,000 tons of wheat
(equal to 53 million loaves
of bread); 2,760 tons of rice (equal to 69
million servings); 1,987 tons of clothing
and footwear (the equivalent weight of 3.6
million pairs of jeans); and 553 tons of
milk powder and baby food (equivalent to
3.1 million days of formula for an average
6-month-old baby).
Last year, Israel shipped 11,000 head of
cattle into Gaza during the Muslim holy
days of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, enough
for 8.8 million meals of beef; 3,000 tons of
DryBonesBlog.com
hypochlorite for water purification, ren-
dering 60 billion gallons of purified water;
and 4,883 tons of medical equipment and
medicine.
While there is no critical-needs instabil-
ity in Gaza, Hamas leaders definitely are
preoccupied with undermining, provoking
and ultimately destroying Israel instead
of seeking two states, one Jewish and one
Palestinian, coexisting side by side, in
peace. ❑
Reality Check
Glad To Be Unhappy
E
verybody likes a happy ending.
Perfection is kind of nice, too.
Well, maybe not to movie crit-
ics, who seem to regard such things as a
bow to conventional morality — unless
they are released in a language that only
27 people in the world understand and a
plot that somehow involves sheep in the
Babylonian sun.
After watching Armando Galarraga's
near miss on a perfect game last week, I'd
have to add umpires, too. They seem to be
just looking for a close play upon which
they can defy expectations and stamp
their own imprint.
And then there is Ten Bad Dates with De
Niro, a moviegoer's book of alternative lists.
Ten worst wigs in a feature film. Ten
Oscar winners who really didn't deserve it.
Ten male stars who looked great in drag.
That sort of thing.
My favorite, however, comes under the
heading of Ten Grace Notes in an oth-
erwise violent film. The winner is The
Searchers, which is also my all-
time favorite Western.
John Wayne, assisted by
Jeffrey Hunter, goes looking
for surviving members of his
family who were murdered by
a band of Comanche. He finds
they have all been killed or
raped and only his niece, played
by Natalie Wood, is still alive.
The search turns into a ven-
detta as Wayne suspects that his
niece is now more Indian than
white. He tells Hunter that when
he finds her he intends to kill
her. In a shoot-out at the Comanche camp,
he pursues her into a cave and advances
upon her menacingly.
But as she tries to fight him off, he
swoops Wood up in his arms and says:
"Let's go home, Debbie."
It is the final shot of this movie that
staggers the audience, though. As she
walks into her former home, Wood is
greeted lovingly while the door
swings shut in Wayne's face.
What can home mean for a man
like him?
I am always moved by that
scene. The solitary man with
nowhere to go and no one wait-
ing for him. It is John Ford at his
most masterful.
Any other climax would ruin
the entire movie. He cannot be
perfect. He will never at peace
with himself.
I tried to come up with anoth-
er Top 10 list of Westerns, too.
2.She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Wayne,
as an elderly cavalry officer, prepares for
retirement by averting another Indian war.
3. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
"When the legend conflicts with the
truth, print the legend." Wayne and James
Stewart.
4.Shane. "Come Back, Shane yells
Brandon De Wilde as gunfighter Alan
Ladd rides off by himself to die.
5.Stagecoach. Wayne at the start of his
career as he and fellow passengers make
their way through dangerous Apache ter-
ritory.
6. The Frisco Kid. A bewildered new
rabbi, played by Gene Wilder, tries to reach
his new congregation in California.
7.High Noon. Lots of cliches here, as
Gary Cooper strides off alone to confront
the gang who swore to kill him. But the
musical theme is unforgettable.
8.Red River. Here's Wayne again leading
the last cattle drive up from Texas.
9.The Magnificent Seven. Yul Brynner
leads his hearty band against parts of the
Mexican army and bandidos.
10.The Wild Bunch. William Holden
refuses to recognize that his time has
passed and rounds up his old gang to fight
for truth, money and justice. ❑
George Cantor's e-mail address is
gcantor614@aol.com .
June 10 • 2010
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